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Question 1
In the “Waves of Energy” section of the Newsela article, which statements are factual statements? Why do they fall into this category?
- “earthquakes are studied by measuring seismic waves, which are waves of energy that come from tremors within the Earth when the plates bump up against each other”
- “Thurber and Tobin are part of an international group of scientists working on the Deep Fault” Drilling Project. The experiment studies the Alpine Fault in New Zealand.”
- “Then they will place instruments in the hole to measure seismic tremors and other important characteristics of the fault zone.”
All of these statements provide information that can be verified through observation. Go to question 2.
Question 2
In the “Waves of Energy” section of the Newsela article which statements are reasoned judgments? Why do they fall into this category?
- “This information is useful, but it’s indirect.”
This statement is a reasoned judgment because the usefulness of something cannot be observed but the statement is supported by the fact that scientists have been able to use the information to study earthquakes. Go to question 3.
Question 3
In the “Waves of Energy” section of the Newsela article which statements are speculation? Why do they fall into this category?
- “you would know much more if you could unwrap it and look directly at what was inside”
- “If we want to understand earthquakes, it’s one of the few kind of direct ways we can get evidence about what faults are like”
Both of these statements are speculating, or guessing, that scientists will find answers through drilling down to fault lines, when in reality no one knows yet what they will find. Go to question 4.
Question 4
How does the author use facts, reasoned judgments and speculation to convey the idea that the Alpine Fault is due for an earthquake in the section titled “Fault Due For a Quake”? Give at least one example of each and explain why it fits that category.
Facts:
- “This fault has been quiet since 1717. It typically produces a major quake every 300 or 400 years.”
- “He spent seven weeks at sea last winter on a scientific drilling ship called the Chikyu, drilling into the Nankai Fault off the coast of southern Japan. At times braving harsh winds and waves as high as 30 feet”
Both of these statements can be observed and are therefore facts.
Reasoned Judgments:
- “Scientists therefore think the fault is due for an earthquake, estimating a 28 percent chance of a quake in the next 50 years.”
This judgment is based on the factual data about how often the fault produces quakes and when the last one was.
- “Drilling such holes, however, is no easy task.”
This judgment is supported by the fact that Tobin previously dealt with high winds and large waves to drill into a fault.
This judgment is supported by the fact that Tobin previously dealt with high winds and large waves to drill into a fault.
Speculation:
- Instruments will remain in the boreholes of both experiments for decades. They will quietly collect data, waiting for an earthquake that could strike at any time.
This statement expresses what the scientists hope will happen, though there is no way to prove or support with facts the idea that the instruments will retrieve the data that the scientists seek.
